Bad weather forces PM Modi to travel to Panipat by road

New Delhi: Inclement weather on Thursday forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Panipat, about 85 km from here, by road instead of the schedule plan to fly in a chopper to launch the ' Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme.

Modi was schedule to land in Panipat in Haryana at 1.35 pm to launch the scheme but due to change in plans he reached the venue about half-an-hour late.

"The PM was to land here in a chopper and all arrangements were made for this. But his chopper could not take off from Delhi due to inclement weather. He reached here by road instead," said Panipat SP Rahul Sharma.

Light drizzle and bone chilling winds greeted the Prime Minister when he arrived at the function, attended by a host of Union Ministers and Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit.

Officials said Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also could not make it to the event because of bad weather triggered by a western disturbance, common during this time of the year.